Hydrofoil Mast

I hand built a full carbon-fiber hydrofoil mast using an epoxy layup process with unidirectional and biaxial carbon fabric. The full project encompassed many engineering aspects from CAD in SolidWorks, FEA in SolidWorks Simulation, CNC toolpath generation in Fusion 360, and carbonfiber layup.

The project began with a basic CAD design, several 3D-printed models from my local library, and an FEA simulation to evaluate the structure. I used my CAD design to generate two cavities which were then used to generate toolpaths for a 3 Axis CNC machine. I wet-laid the carbon into the cavities and compressed the carbon layers under as much force as possible (>600 lbs).

The final step was to engineer a smooth mounting interface between the foil and mast. Wihtout access to any industry standard equipment, this step was for sure the hardest. I made an epoxy mold from a 3D printed part that helped me structure an initial shell. I added a combination of carbon and fiberglass layers to build up the piece. After serveral iterations of sanding, mixing epoxy, and adding layers of carbon and fiberglass, I was able to achieve a smooth interface that was ready for the foil to be mounted.

Once I finished the mast, I tested it in the water and it worked!